As if the lottery landscape wasn't unpredictable already, Brandon Knight might be muddying these waters even more than before.

While it remains likely that Cleveland will take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving at the top spot and (insert team name here, since Minnesota continues to spread the word that it would like to move down) will take Arizona's Derrick Williams at No. 2, sources say the Kentucky point guard could be risking his chance to go third overall to Utah by refusing to work out against competition. Knight has an open invitation to join Connecticut's Kemba Walker, BYU's Jimmer Fredette and UCLA's Malcolm Lee in a June 15 workout with the Jazz, but sources close to both sides said he has yet to decide whether to take part.
What's more, there are rumblings that Utah is less than thrilled at the notion that Knight would even consider dictating the terms with the No. 3 pick (although Turkish center Enes Kanter already did just that in his Jazz workout in Chicago in which Toronto also took part). It's unclear whether the Jazz would take a hard-line stance and refuse to take Knight unless he worked out against other top-line competitors, but that appears to be a possibility.

I attended Knight's workout in Sacramento on June 2 and walked away convinced that Knight saw the Kings as his so-called first-round floor at No. 7. The problem there, predictably, is that the one-on-none approach wasn't well received by the Kings' brass either. As if separating the talent in this crop wasn't tough enough, Knight's tactic appears to have thrown a subtle wildcard into the process.

Interesting. Kemba was quite thrilled to be included in the group workouts with Fredette if I remember correctly.

Before Utah came into the picture with the rumour of being interested in Knight, I remember it was pretty common to see his name out of the Top 5. Not sure he should be pushing his luck. No.3 would be a gift for him, if he indeed was selected there. I don't believe he is a Top 3 talent, and I'm sure there are alot of people that agree. He's walking on thin ice with this one it seems.

You know it's funny, I read this shortly after I read Holly MacKenzie's take on the interview Knight did for the Raps:

Loved how Brandon handled the questions about the “scheduling conflict” that meant he and Kemba wouldn’t be working out against one another. Rather than get rattled or stumble over excuses, he simply said he shows up where his agent tells him to be and allows him to worry about everything while he focuses on basketball. Smart answer. Easy answer. And he stayed with it, despite repeated questions about whether he would have liked to compete against Kemba.

Just funny how each media member sees their own angle to take. Not taking sides either way, just an example of how much you can trust what you read from sports media in general.

You know it's funny, I read this shortly after I read Holly MacKenzie's take on the interview Knight did for the Raps:

Loved how Brandon handled the questions about the “scheduling conflict” that meant he and Kemba wouldn’t be working out against one another. Rather than get rattled or stumble over excuses, he simply said he shows up where his agent tells him to be and allows him to worry about everything while he focuses on basketball. Smart answer. Easy answer. And he stayed with it, despite repeated questions about whether he would have liked to compete against Kemba.

Just funny how each media member sees their own angle to take. Not taking sides either way, just an example of how much you can trust what you read from sports media in general.

Same way I read the situation.

Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

I don't blame him for not wanting to go up against Kemba Walker. He's kind of damn if he does, damned if he doesn't. If he felt he could handle Kemba you know he would do it to silence the critics instead of being boxed into a corner like this.

Interesting. Kemba was quite thrilled to be included in the group workouts with Fredette if I remember correctly.

Before Utah came into the picture with the rumour of being interested in Knight, I remember it was pretty common to see his name out of the Top 5. Not sure he should be pushing his luck. No.3 would be a gift for him, if he indeed was selected there. I don't believe he is a Top 3 talent, and I'm sure there are alot of people that agree. He's walking on thin ice with this one it seems.

Just a crazy talk here but from the interview I saw of him after the workout in Toronto, he seems like he enjoyed it here. He is friends with DD as everyone seems to be and he chose to come workout here in case his stocks drops as it has right now. Thoughts on this but do you think that maybe he wants to play in Toronto and is making his stocks drop? Call me crazy but just a gut feeling here.

I don't blame him for not wanting to go up against Kemba Walker. He's kind of damn if he does, damned if he doesn't. If he felt he could handle Kemba you know he would do it to silence the critics instead of being boxed into a corner like this.

These individual workouts are lame. What do these players have to hide? Lame. Spoiled. Lame. Agents, even lamer.

“The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.” - Martin Luther King

Is Irving going up against Knight or Walker in workouts? Don't see Knight not going up against Walker as an issue. Fingers crossed his stock drops and he falls into our lap at 5. That would be three years in a row BC gets spoon fed draft day and I have no problem with that at all.

Is Irving going up against Knight or Walker in workouts? Don't see Knight not going up against Walker as an issue. Fingers crossed his stock drops and he falls into our lap at 5. That would be three years in a row BC gets spoon fed draft day and I have no problem with that at all.

Is Irving going up against Knight or Walker in workouts? Don't see Knight not going up against Walker as an issue. Fingers crossed his stock drops and he falls into our lap at 5. That would be three years in a row BC gets spoon fed draft day and I have no problem with that at all.

Irving is only working out for Cleveland, so he is probably not at any workouts with either Knight or Walker

These individual workouts are lame. What do these players have to hide? Lame. Spoiled. Lame. Agents, even lamer.

Some players do really well in individual workouts, others do well in a game setting. I would figure based on that each agent makes a decision if the workouts are going to help or hurt. If the players stock is already high due his scholastic success, it may be better to just leave it at that.

Even one on one workouts don't tell the full story, lots of aspects can't be tested this way. Court vision, positioning when 5 on 5. So I can see a bit of logic for those that feel they have already proven enough.

I also wonder if in a group of 6 kids working out, unfair attention is paid to the one highest on the draft order, and if its a combination workout where players oppose each other, the top draft pick may face more gambles by the other players than say someone lower on the pecking order. This is a mute point with me, but I can see some agents not seeing this risk as necessary for their top guys. Imagine getting injured in one of these... if you don't need to do it, you don't risk the money before you drop some ink.

Some players do really well in individual workouts, others do well in a game setting. I would figure based on that each agent makes a decision if the workouts are going to help or hurt. If the players stock is already high due his scholastic success, it may be better to just leave it at that.

Even one on one workouts don't tell the full story, lots of aspects can't be tested this way. Court vision, positioning when 5 on 5. So I can see a bit of logic for those that feel they have already proven enough.

I also wonder if in a group of 6 kids working out, unfair attention is paid to the one highest on the draft order, and if its a combination workout where players oppose each other, the top draft pick may face more gambles by the other players than say someone lower on the pecking order. This is a mute point with me, but I can see some agents not seeing this risk as necessary for their top guys. Imagine getting injured in one of these... if you don't need to do it, you don't risk the money before you drop some ink.

Without being privy of course to BK's agent's knowledge of certain team's already professed strong interest/promise to draft I would think that only a couple of the very best/shoo-ins can have the attitude of not competing with peers in a workout....or risk falling in the draft as a result. It could cost him a couple of million. I expect the decision was not made lightly. His agent also knows that K Walker outplayed BK in their last 2 meetings. Having this happen again in a single workout with possibly a Fredette or someone else do the same would be disastrous.

I watched Knight at the Toronto workout - the guy was still going full speed after an 1:15 - hitting 3s, running drills like he just got there. The kid impresses in workouts - he won't fall far if the Jazz pass on him.

It would have been great to see him on the floor with Kemba but there isn't much in it for him to do it and we all (should have) seen them in the Final Four head-to-head already.

I watched Knight at the Toronto workout - the guy was still going full speed after an 1:15 - hitting 3s, running drills like he just got there. The kid impresses in workouts - he won't fall far if the Jazz pass on him.

It would have been great to see him on the floor with Kemba but there isn't much in it for him to do it and we all (should have) seen them in the Final Four head-to-head already.

I don't understand Knight's agent not letting him workout against others. 1 on 1 is where Knight should have an advantage over others because he's tall, quick and can score. Where he wouldn't look as good is in a game situation where he is supposed to pass the ball and run the offense.

Calipari is doing all he can to raise Knight's stock again (nice read)

Calipari on Knight's best attributes: Well, there are a couple of things there. Kevin and the guys there know that he wants to play for an organization like Utah. This kid's a straight-A student. A 4.0 his entire life. Sixty college credits, because he transferred in 23. Sixty college credits after one year, and he wants to come back and finish up — which he will, because I just know how he is. From beginning to end of the year, he just got better and better and better. What's amazing for Utah is, he's a lot like a John Stockton. In that, hey, you may have a guy right now — Stockton didn't start right away. And what you have is a young man who would be with you for a while, you know what I mean? The biggest thing I can tell you, I've never been around — yeah, I've been around some that have worked as hard as him — but none of them have worked harder, and whatever you think he's going to become, he's going to become. A lot of players in the draft you say, 'Potentially, this guy could be this, that and the other, but we have no idea whether he'll be that.' Well, with Brandon, whatever you think he's going to become, he'll become. I just think over three years, you're going to say 'Wow.' Whoever he gets him. Over a three-year period, you'll say 'Wow.' Terrific shooter. And you know shooting makes up for a multitude of sins. He can flat out make shots. He's bigger than you think. He's more athletic. He's got speed — a little bit like Tony Parker speed, where he can take it right at you and speed the game up a little bit. I'm sold on him. I know he's either going to go three, four, five. And whoever gets him is lucky. Utah was built on guys like him; so was San Antonio, you know what I'm saying? The best thing that's happened for the league right now is some of the better players are all — you know, Derrick Rose, even Dirk, they're just nice kids that want to get better and want to win. Even if you look in the championship, and you look at Wade and you look at Bosh and you look at those guys, and you look at LeBron — good guys. You may like them or you may not like them, but they're good people.

Comparing Knight to the best point guards he's coached: He's right there. I've had four of them, and two of them took my teams to Final Fours. One of them's playing in Chicago, and Brandon's the other. And I'll be honest with you, the team I had in Memphis was a better team, a more talented team and a deeper team. We played six guys last year. … But they're all different. You can't say, 'Well, what's he like with Derrick, or what's he like with Tyreke?' They all have different strengths, they all have different weaknesses. John Wall and Tyreke, they're all different. Here's the other thing that sets him apart: He wants to make game-winners. But more importantly, he's not afraid to miss a game-winner. And you know in that league, how many times do you come down to the last two possessions? And then how many guys want the ball, and how many guys don't want it? I was in that league — not everybody wants the ball. Some guys, they're jumping in cracks trying to hide. And then there are others that become the valuable guys, because they do want it late; they want that ball; they want to make that play. Because they're not afraid. He's not afraid to miss that shot.

True point guard or combo guard who shoots very well: They try to say that, is Tyreke a true point? You had John Wall, who they tried to say that about. Derrick early on, they were trying to say, 'Well, I don't know if he's really a point?' We're in the Garden, and that's Dicky V., going crazy on me. And I'm like, 'What?' [Laughs] But he's a terrific player. He's a leader. He's the lead guard who can run your team, can make shots, great in the locker room, really intelligent. You know how they do the meetings and the psychological? After they do that with him, you want him.

Basketball intelligence: Oh yeah. But what he does is, he'll break down what he's doing, and then he changes it to get it right. Aw, man: he'll get it right. And what would happen is, they'd be coming back from a road trip, and the dude would go right back to the practice facility and say, 'I got to get this down,' whatever it may be. He was in the gym at 11 o'clock at night. For my best players, that was the case. I'd be coming off the road, it's 11 o'clock at night, I'd stop in my office, I'd look in the practice facility and all of a sudden I'm seeing a ball bounce. 'Who's that?' Well, that was Derrick Rose, that was Tyreke, that was John Wall, that was Brandon Knight. Those guys were all the same that way.

Struggles going to his left: Well, here's the two things. When I tell you his skill level is just going to get better and better and better. And the one thing I'll tell you, what you find out is, with shooting when I was in the league — well, I'll give you an example: Tracy McGrady. I had him in, he was in high school. I had him in three times — I may have brought him in three times, because I was going to pick him. And he didn't make any shots — he didn't make free throws. By the time he left the league, if he was open, it was a knock-down shot. So shooting, whether it was Bird, whether it was Magic, even Jordan — that kind of stuff, what the hardest thing to judge is heart. The kind of mind he is. What are we adding to our locker room? What are we truly adding to our team, and what are we about? Everything. The biggest thing I can tell you, there are a lot of players out there — well, there's two things. If you're undersized, you're not going to have the same kind of success you think in that league. You can't. So if you're undersized in your position — I don't care what it is. And undersized means, you can only be 6-7, but you play 6-10. OK. There are guys like that. But you're talking about a kid that will play bigger than his size, and you're talking about a kid that the whole organization and everybody in the city will want to be around. You just say, 'Wow.' And again, he'll remind you of a Stockton now. I'm not trying to put pressure on him or anything like that. I'm just telling you he's the same. 'How do I get better?' 'How do I' — I'll tell you a great story about John Stockton. We were up 20 at half. We were playing Utah when I was at New Jersey. And I walk out at halftime and he grabs somebody around the shirt, and I looked at my staff and I said, 'We're in trouble.' And we were, and we lost. That was John. It was more than just making shots. Because when you look at him physically, you're saying, 'How in the world did he play that long? And how in the world did he play that well?' Well, if he was open, the ball went down. And if a guy was open, he got him the ball. He fought like crazy. Forget about his size. Will he fight? Does he player bigger than his size? What's his competitive spirit? That's all that intangible stuff.

Thank You Brandon Knight's Agent

At the end of the day, if you have game and you have nothing to hide then you go head-to-head for a top three team when they come knocking. I can understand him not wanting to do it for the Raptors, I mean, you have to protect your back end but on the top end you have another excellent PG competing for that slot who's a champion and you have some nice big men trying to steal your thunder as well. Apparently Jimmer hit one out of the park in his Jazz workout and they have two picks and two needs. They're impressed with the guy. They could decide to take him with their second 1st rounder now and take a big man with the high pick. If that happens, unless Cleveland bucks the consensus, then Brandon Knight is in a scenario where now he's competing against Kemba Walker for the 5th overall pick instead of the 3rd overall. Whoever loses that battle slides to 7th as their best case scenario... Who's Knight's agent again? Thank you guy.